The One Who Cared
by Aerista
Summary: Planet Earth is being stuck with 12 trolls for an entire year. One girl has to make a friendship with a certain troll, otherwise, the entire planet might be at stake.
1. Chapter 1

_Just remember, it was this or be turned into one of those things_. Today has been the hardest day of this young girls life. She was being forced to take into her care one of those new alien things that they found on an abandoned planet. She was the only shamhog, or poor person, there. Probably because everyone else who lived in they ally ways of the city couldn't even support themselves or anyone else in their care. She was lucky enough to have connections to the big guys on top that gave her a sum amount of money to take care of herself and her 12 brothers and sisters, all who were younger than her. She begged the topcasters to give her a bit more for the year since this alien visitor was staying that entire time, but they refused, so she was going to have to work two extra shifts. That meant also she had to leave a stranger alone in her home with her brothers and sisters. The thought was frightening.

Miss Arianna Temperson stood out in the freezing cold of the New Vegas Airport runway, awaiting the arrival of the new being that was going to be in her home for a whole year. Wearing nothing but her old torn blue jeans, sandals, and a tank top with a button with the thing's sign on it, so it could identify whom it belonged to for the year. But it's not like, from what she's seen of his profile, that much of a looker when it comes to people below him. And speak of the devil here all of them came.

All 12 of them went to their hosts, all upper class, of course. One named Karkat went to one boy with an obsession with food. Aradia went to one who seemed so excited about living everyday like it's their last. Tavros was staying with a boy who was the champ in the local track and cross-country teams. Sollux was with one who was a total bookworm. Nepeta went with a boy who owned lots of huge dogs. Terezi went with an anti-social girl who was dressed in complete black. Kanaya went with one who looked as if she was dressed by her mother. Vriska had to stay with a girl who was the most popular, and bossy bitch, in the universe (according to everyone there, at least). Equius went with a boy who was probably the weakest little nothing on Earth. Gamzee went with one who had a club running at school for anti-drug usage. Then Feferi, the supposed princess, went with a girl whose daddy owned the entire state, or better known as the Oppressor of New Vegas.

But there were supposed to be 12, not 11. From Arianna's constant creeping/research, she found that Miss Feferi Peixes was close to Eridan, or as the trolls called it, moirailship. She went and tapped Feferi on the shoulder. Turning back away from the senator's daughter, she smiled and giggled saying, "Hi! I'm Feferi Peixes! Who are you?" _Wow, this one's a happy camper, isn't she?_ Arianna hesitated, but eventually replied with, "I'm Arianna. Nice to meet you. So um…isn't there supposed to be twelve of you, not eleven?"

"Oh! Is Eridan _still _getting ready to leave the ship? Glub, wait here. I'll go get him!" And like that, the fish girl was off back into the depths of the ship in which they had all emerged from. There was constant bickering heard from within. It was a whole twenty minutes before Feferi came back with Eridan. _Oh shit. Well, this looks like this is going to be the worst year of my life._

Eridan Amproa, 6 sweeps old. Dressed in a flowing purple cape, long black shirt, striped pants, and matching scarf, he came striding out of the hull, with the most annoying look on his face. It seemed like he was one of those pretentious assholes who only cared for money and conquest, like everyone else does. His ring-decorated fingers were carrying three large trunks worth of clothing and other apparatus for his 'needs' as Feferi called it. He was a stuck up rich kid, like everyone else here, and being seventeen, or 8 sweeps old to the trolls, she was going to order him around like no tomorrow. And she was going to enjoy it.

Arianna went up to Eridan, who of course, was taller than her by a good half a foot. He looked down on her with a look of disgust. He turned to Feferi. "Fef, is this _really_ the thing I have to live with for half a sweep? Why can't I just switch with you?" _Well thanks asshole, nice to meet you too_. Feferi, of course, didn't hear him, and so he sighed and turned to Ari. "Well, I guess I'm stayin with you then, right?" She did not look please one bit. This thing, this alien, had to live with her. They set her up with the most pretentious fuck in the entire universe, and they didn't even care. But of course, with each rivalry, there comes a great friendship.


	2. Chapter 2

After glaring at each other for a whole hour on the walk home, Eridan decided to speak up, being the gentlemen he was. He wasn't enjoying this as much as he was. The one who he just had to live with for the next half sweep had to be one of the poor humans, who were just like the lowbloods. This was of course, just what he needed. "So, uhh…where do ya live exactly?" Arianna, who was continued to stare at the ground, responded with a harsh tone, "I live here. Get used to it." For a moment, the purple troll was confused as to what she meant, but then saw an ally way with a respiteblock right in the middle of it. It seemed a little run down for a place where she had to survive, but it was all right. There was no recouprocoon, as they said they would have to sleep in some thing called a 'bed'. It was weird. No slime, no fleshy exterior, just some wood, an enormous feather holder, some covers and a tiny feather holder. But there was only one bed, nicely made up. Where was he supposed to sleep?

"Come on, or you'll have to stand outside for the next few days before the switch," Arianna pushed hastily. Eridan speed-walked the way to the 'bedroom' and sat down on a tiny chair that was squishy and moldable. It was awkward to sit on, but he eventually found a comfortable position for the time being. She dropped his bags in a corner on top of each other and started to unpack the bags, when she looked up from it and stared at Eridan. She had the most pissed off look that he had ever seen, even more so than Karkat's when he got really pushed off the edge. He started to twiddle his finger, but then felt a large jerking motion that almost knocked him out of his seat. Arianna didn't seem even phased by it. "Did you just feel that?"

"Feel what?" She gave him a blank look and then hit her head, face-palming. "Oh, that was just the rooms switching. It takes a while, so for about ten minutes, we get to bond." A smug look spread across her dirty face. "Get used to it." Ari crossed her arms a laid down on her bed. The ceiling was so boring, even if she tried coloring it with markers and chalk. It's not like it ever stayed. Her entire top was just a mix of browns, since all of the colors mixed together. It was disgusting, but she tried making it at least a little better over time. It never worked and the new colors just faded into the giant brown/black background.

That span of awkward silence between the troll and human seemed to drag out for eternity before they landed in the Living Room where even more humans lived and played. Eridan was fascinated with it. There were so many of them, and the underground room was huge and warm. _For a bunch of filthy landdwellers, they still know how ta live_. It seemed like a huge achievement, being able to heat such a large area without technology. The Earth girl got up from her bed and greeted the little ones first, since they seemed so eager to see her back home. Then she talk to the older ones, who looked even older than Eridan, and he just sat in the chair in Ari's bedroom, waiting for her to give him his room.

"Hey, look what the cat dragged in," said a boy in a sweater vest and could be considered one of the nerdiest humans on the planet. Ari got off the bed and with great force, ran up to the little children who considered her their big sister or mom. They were sweet and innocent, too little to be living like this. But all children of the Underground lived in homes like these. The city was filled with them. Sometimes, children dug through walls of dirt and rock to make little peepholes or doors into other Living Rooms where other groups of kids lived. Not many high-class people knew of the underground city, and those who did died instantly when they found out. Each side had its spies to make sure the other wasn't trying to take over or rebel. But it's not like that's worked before.

"Hi guys, how are you?" the teenage girl asked as she knelt and hugged tiny bodies. "Goooood," they responded simultaneously. It's like they were programed to answer like that. Eridan found it disturbing, but it seemed a lot of Earth things were like that. One little girl, messy blonde hair in pigtails walked over to Eridan and pulled on his cape. "Hiya there mister! I'm Elli, who are you?" He looked down in disgust and pulled his cape away, making the little girl fall and cry. Ari rushed to the child's aid and glared up at Eridan. "Rule number one Ampora," she said in a harsh tone, "This is your family, and we NEVER hurt family. Got that." He rolled his eyes at her obnoxious attitude. "Whatever."


	3. Chapter 3

That night, Arianna forced Eridan to sleep on the floor, since he didn't have a room yet. He complained all night on how he was too cold or too hot. _Too spoiled_, she thought once he fell asleep. _He needs to learn what life is really like_. She wondered about how painful these next few months would be. A whole year living with an asshole. Ari's known a lot of douchebags, but Eridan was the worse one yet. Self centered, pretentious, arrogant. She took a look at her clock on her bedside table. It was a minute until midnight. She groaned and wished she would just fall asleep already. Nobody stayed up this late, especially not herself. There were two reasons why. There was the room changing that happened at that time of night. And then there were the Lesterines.

Lesterines were a very interesting gang that worked with the police force of New Vegas. They come into everyone's homes and tried to see if anyone was awake or not. If they were asleep, they got to stay in their beds. They'd wake up with a mark on their hand to show they were checked. The older people in the city were covered in marks most of the time. But if even once a child was seen awake past midnight, they were captured and then taken to who knows where. A not was left in their place when they were taken and they never came home. Many parents and children's homes have lost their kids to the Lesterines, but nobody would stop them. Nobody ever challenges the government and their workers. That's why, the Oppressor dynasty, had been in power for so long.

It didn't matter. No person was willing to stand up to anyone. Arianna sighed and dozed off to sleep as she heard the Lesterines enter her room.

The next morning, the fish prince woke up, and was startled by freezing cold water. "Wow, thanks Ari. Real nice of ya," he grumbled while getting a towel. For some reason, this made him feel a lot like Equius. She only giggled, bowl in hand, accepting his thanks. _God, she's worse than Fef is_. He didn't change his clothing, since he knew he was going to be soaked later anyway. _This is hell_, he thought. How could this many people be so idiotic and immature? Eridan finally made it to the bathroom and took a cold shower, only because there was no hot water. He was forced out of the shower by a boy who looked a lot older than him. Then he dried himself off, put on the clothes from before, which were a little direr, and went back into his and Ari's room. His scarf was still dry, or relatively dry. He didn't want to damage it. It was the only gift he got for his 6th wriggling day. Better yet, it was from Feferi, his moirail. He missed her so much, plenty more than the others. She was the Empress to be. It was his job to keep her safe. Of course, he was kind of failing since they were so far away from each other. Thankfully, they were able to still talk over Trollian. But if it was true what humans did to trolls here, she could be in serious danger, and he couldn't help her at all.

"Come on, idiot, get something to eat. You have a long day ahead of you." She put the bowl down on a shelf above her bed. "You snore, by the way." _She is just lovely, isn't she?_ Ari wiped her hands on a rag that hid in a corner neatly in a pile with the others. When she was done with it, she dropped it back and then threw it Eridan, so he could try to dry his hair more. "Done now, princess?" she asked. She wanted him to be miserable. He wouldn't stop putting up with her, though. _This one's though. I'll have to try harder to break him_. She held open the door for him, but he just walked right through, hands in his pockets, wishing he were home, for once. When he entered the Living Room, he sat down on a wooden chair, trying to eat a weird human food called a banana. It was mushy and disgusting. The little human he pushed down before walked up to him. He felt bad for pushing her to the floor, but he looked at her and said, "What?" She seemed shy and timid, gripping her tattered toy bear tight in her hands. She pushed the toy into his arms and ran away, to who knows where. Eridan, for a while, just sat there confused by what just happened. He looked at the poor thing. It was fuzzy in some places, but it was mostly messy patchwork and stitching. There was a note in it's back.

Dear Eriban,

I sory u cant se Fefi because of the thing. I wat you to kep ths bear becuz hes gud at taking and stuf. Hes a good huger too! :D

Sissy to you!

Delia

_Love is a human thing_, he thought. But it was the best gift (minus Feferi's scarf) that he had ever received. He put the note back into the bear and velcroed it shut. Eridan hugged it tight and promised himself he would protect that bear with his life. The troll also felt like the dirtiest douchebag in the entire universe. But him being that way was normal. It didn't matter how much he thought he was going to change for Feferi, he was still the worse troll in existence. What was a sissy? God damn, humans are weird.

Ari walked over to Eridan, looking pissed off, like usual. This time, somehow it wasn't him fault. She sat down next to him and didn't say a word. Since he was too scared to anger her even more, he didn't say anything. It reminded him of the times Feferi was mad. He wouldn't say anything, but eventually started to glub, which always made everything better. But of course, this was a human so he decided not to try. He wanted to try consoling her though. "What's with you?" She looked up at him. _At least she's responsive_. She mumbled some words he couldn't make out. He eventually coaxed words out of her. "What happened?" Ari began to cry. Something truly bad happened. "It's Delia. She's gone."


	4. Chapter 4

"What do you mean she's gone? I just saw her a few minutes ago! She gave me thing or whatever the hell it is." He showed Arianna the bear. She stroked its soft fur and fuzzy patches. "Well, she's gone. The topcasters probably took her because she just had to help me. It's all my fault. I did this. She's gone because of _**me**_." Eriddan didn't know what to do. It was now officially awkward between them. _Well, Fef ain't here, so might as well try to help her_. Eridan got up and just hugged Ari. It wasn't out of friendship or pity (okay, maybe a little pity), but he just did it to help her. Her 'sibling' was taken by whatever the hell a topcaster was. And he was going to make sure she would be found.

Of all the things that could have possibly happened to make her feel more like shit, Delia had to go missing. She told her never to go outside, but what did she do? She went outside. And now she was gone. If only she had protected her more. She could still be home and safe. It was her fault she was gone. Ari just wasn't good enough. Ari felt a pair of arms wrapped around her, stopping her train of thought. "What are you doing?" This wasn't the time for him to be doing stupid shit.

"I'm givin ya a hug. Can I do that?" A hug. He was giving her a hug and just out of the kindness of his heart. Something was up.

"Now why exactly are you doing this?" she inquired, skepticism and a bit of sadness in her tone.

"Because I'm a nice fuckin troll. Now do you want me to help ya find her or not?"

Was her serious? Out of the kindness of his heart. He was being nice. This was new. _I thought they were all a bunch of alien pricks. Hmm, I guess I was wrong_. "Thanks, I guess." There was a long pause. "I want her home." She held Eridan tight. Tighter than anyone she's ever had in any relationship. This took him by surprise. But he enjoyed it. It was nice to be cared by someone other than Feferi. She was warm and her skin was soft. _She's a human you fuckin idiot. She'll just try to get you killed_. Somehow he trusted her. "Well," he said, exiting the hug, "how are we going to find her? The city is huge an all people who know it, it's you."

"I know, but there are a million places where she could be!" Ari began to sulk again. "I thought our home was safe and hidden. I thought I could protect them all. Heh, I guess I failed then, didn't I?" She hid her face in her hands and knees. Losing someone close was hard. Eridan would know. For five weeks, Feferi went missing.

_She has been taken in her sleep to an unknown forest. The only clothes on her body was her bathing suit, nothing more. Freaking out, she tried to find her mobile husktop. Thankfully, it was on her and she could contact Eridan._

_-__cuttlefishCuller__ began trolling__ caligulasAquarium__ at 12:08-_

_CC: -ERIDAN! 38O_

_CA: oh hey fef wwhat is it_

_CA: you okay_

_CC: No –Eridan. I am NOT okay! I'm scared and lost and I don't know w)(at to do!_

_CA: god fef alright_

_CA: are you alone or are you wwith someone_

_CC: I'm alone. 38(_

_CA: hey dont givve me that face_

_CA: ill be right there okay_

_CA: wwhat does it look like out there_

_CA: wwhere you are i mean_

_CC: It's lake a forest or somefin. It's also cold, foggy, and scary._

_CC: Does t)(at kelp at all?_

_CA: it does a little just hold on fef I think I can get a hold a your location_

_CA: there got it_

_CA: ill be there in a sec_

_CA: just hold still alright_

_CA: no snoopin or anything_

_CC: Okay. I'll be )(ere._

_CA: any idea wwho did this to you_

_CC: Not a clue! Sorry._

_CA: no fef its fine you have nothing to be sorry about_

_CA: just stay still an be careful I don't wwant to keep you wwaitin_

_CC: Please )(urry!_

_CA: i will _

_CA: sea ya in a bit fef wwere gonna talk about this later_

_CC: Alrig)(t. Sea you seen._

_CA: stay safe_

_-__caligulasAquarium__ ceased trolling __cuttlefishCuller__-_

After about an hour of waiting in the safe spot, Feferi saw a skyhorse lusus and Eridan. She had never seemed so happy or scared in her life. Feferi began to flail her arms about screaming Eridan's name over and over into the darkened sky. He didn't see her. The heiress began to break down into a fit of crying, still calling his name. Just when she thought that she would give up, he saw her and sped quickly to her location. "Fef, oh my god Fef, are you okay? Shh…don't cry my little Fef, I'm here now. You sain't alone anymore." He dismounted his lusus and went to go comfort the tyrian fish princess. Eridan wrapped his arms and cape around her, making them both stand there in a warm moirail hug for a long amount of time.

But that's a different story.

Eridan looked at Ari, who was getting over from a massive meltdown. "Where do ya want to start lookin?" She took a deep breath and though about that question for a while. There were so many places Delia could have been. Then it hit her. "I have one idea, but I'm only seventy percent sure she's there. Now come on or we'll be too late." Ari grabbed Eridan's wrist and dragged him out of the Living Room and out of the housing complex. It was 9:00 pm. They only had 3 hours until the lost Delia for good.


	5. Chapter 5

Anxiety was spread thickly between the both of them. Ari was freezing, due to the rain and lack of a coat, and Eridan, leaving his scarf in the Living Room, moved his scarf over his gills. The acidic rain made his gills burn with each drop that feel onto them. _God, I hope Fef isn't outside now. She could be in serious trouble._ Eridan shook those troubled thoughts out of his think pan. He was on a mission and needed to stay focused. Nothing was going to get in his way.

The streets of New Vegas were usually clean, well, relatively clean. There were plenty of garbage piles and homeless people living in them. Thieves lurked in the shadows and getting mugged was always a threat for passers by. Everyone's biggest problems were the Lesterines that came out early to snatch up lone wanderers. _That's probably what got Delia, _Ari thought.

The two of them continued on the foggy sidewalk until they reached what seemed to be an old water processing plant. It was rusted and eroded thanks to the almost constant stream of acidic rain that fell everyday. The building looked as if it was going to topple any minute. "Why'd ya stop here?" Eridan asked. "Do ya think she's here?"

"I've mapped out this entire city. I know every single one of their hiding places. They always take children here. Of all the places in the city, this has got to be the place they put her. I'm fifty percent sure she's in there."

"An' they other fifty percent is…?"

She hesitated and choked on her words. "That's something…I don't want to think about." Of all the things Eridan, could have thought to say to Ari at a time like this, he said the worst thing he possibly could. "What are they gonna turn her into?" _Oh great, Ampora. Get ready for the smack of a lifetime because you just earned it. 'Cause you just said somethin you really, really shouldn't have. Because you're that fuckin stupid. _"So you've heard the stories then. About what they turn deifiers and trolls into?"

Eridan was shocked he hadn't received a hand to the face yet. "Uh…yeah. But not like what actually happens." He could feel her pissed off attitude radiating from her entire being. "Fine. I'll tell you. First, they find you and knock you out cold so you can't feel yourself being thrown into the back of a hover van. Next thing you know, you're in a building like this, strapped down to a table by plenty of barbed wire. They gas you out and start cutting open your skull, making sure they use the dullest knife possible to ensue more pain. Then, once your skull top comes loose, they cut off your main systems of functioning other than your heart and lungs. They turn you into a machine, Eridan. You're just…torn away from EVERYTHING!"

She caught her breath and sighed. "Let's just go find her," she mumbled entering the old factory. Eridan was flustered. Why was she just telling him all of this? For right now, he entered the plant after her.

Just like they imagined, everything was worn smooth with the years of erosion caused by the acid rain. It smelled greatly of feces and chemicals. The steel walls were rusted and colored a rainbow of blood, mainly a bright red. Eridan felt chills run down his spine. The fog made it feel as if there was a horror story just waiting to happen.

His pocket buzzed. Feferi was trying to get a hold of him and apparently, it was urgent, based on the amount of buzzing he felt.

-cuttlefishCuller began trolling caligulasAquarium-

CC: -ERIDAN!

CC: 38(

CC: Did you sea outside?

CC: -Eridan! I'm searious!

CA: fef calm down in here

CA: and yeah I saw outside

CA: fuckin humans

CA: im not really in the mood right now

CA: im busy

CC: Doing w)(at?

CA: its nothin

CC: You s)(ore? It doesn't seem lake nofin.

CC: Are you okay?

CA: no fef

CA: im not

CC: 38O W)(at )(appened?

CC: W)(ere are you?

CA: its like a wweird sort of factory

CA: hey remember those stories i told ya about

CA: theyre true

CC: …

CC: No t)(ey aren't.

CC: -Eridan, tail me you're lying.

CC: Tail me you're lying!

CA: fef im sorry but im not

CA: noww I havve to go aris flippin shit ovver here

CA: be safe okay ill talk to ya later

-caligulasAquarium ceased trolling cuttlefishCuller-

CC: 38(

"Eridan! Come on!" Ari screamed from down a distant hallway. He chased after her voice, which for some reason, seemed to be getting harder and harder to hear. Eventually, he stopped and her voice suddenly started booming in his ears. His voice shrilled and the boy collapsed to the ground. It felt like ten thousand needles were trying to fill his ears all at once. But then, the pain stopped. He got up cautiously, removing his hands that covered his ears. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he shot around, pointing his gun at whatever was behind him. "Hey! Hey! It's me! It's me! Put the gun down!" she quickly spat out before he shot. He lowered his gun, wondering what had just happened to him. "You okay?" Ari asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine…let's go. It's getting late. We can't waste much more time."

The two of them continued down the hallway Eridan was walking down alone a bit earlier. The walls continued to be decorated in rainbow blood, but more and more blood seemed to appear as they walked down it more and more. Ari was freaking her shit. She got closer to Eridan and slyly held his hand. _He better not think I like him. I'll kill him if he does._ Eridan kind of stared at her from the corners of his eyes. _What the hell does she think she's doin? _He enjoyed being the one protecting her. It wan't like he wasn't horrified of what lied ahead. He gripped her hand and made sure that Ahab's Crosshairs was at the ready. This place was full of silent danger, and he could sense it.

A few large footsteps were heard in the distance, and they grew louder as the human and troll began to quicken their pace. It finally caught up to them. Before either of them could react or get a good look at the thing chasing them, the creature had knocked them out cold.


	6. Chapter 6

Ari awoke first in the prison cell. They weren't in a normal prison, it seemed. Yet it still felt like one. The two of them were still in the factory. Blood still stained the walls, but the blood here seemed to vary more in color than before, covering the entire rainbow spectrum. _Maybe this is where they all go_. The colors were divided out with the 'low' blood on the floor and the 'high' blood on the ceiling and walls. If the scene wasn't so horrific, the colors would have made a very interesting art piece.

After a bit of waiting, Eridan woke up in a dire panic. He scavenged the ground, trying to find his Ahab's Crosshairs, failing in his attempts. Eventually, Eridan found his way to the corner of the makeshift cell area and sat there, avoiding the dried blood of his and Ari's that had mixed while they were out. The color it had created was pinkish, almost the same as Feferi's but not quite as dark.

"Alright, what the fuck did ya, do?" Eridan scowled. "You did somethin' an' now we're here! I swear ta god if yo—"

"You think _**I**_ did THIS?! I didn't do anything! We both got knocked out and ended up wherever the hell 'here' is." This was not the time to fight or argue on who did what and when. They were stuck. And pretty tightly shut in as well. Arianna got up to get a better look on the amount of security that was keeping them in. _Did they really need 20 locks?_ Her thoughts were cut off by heavy feet stomping down the hallway. _Their_ hallway. Eridan quickly shut up from his rantings as the steps became louder. _Lesterines_.

Both of them found their way to the back of the bloody cell. The breathing between them was absolutely silent. Ari wasn't even sure that Eridan was breathing at all. The two of them were huddled close together in the shadows of the cell. If they were going to die, why not die together?

Slowly, the steps grew louder and louder. For a while, they thought it was just going to go away. And they did stop, right in front of their cell. Deep and audible breathing was heard as keys jingled in the multitude of locks covering the door. Eventually, after a while of delay and silence, the locks hit the ground with a massive thud, letting the sound ring throughout the entire prison. The building was empty, or so it seemed to the captives. Tiny, pitiful screams were just barely heard from miles below them. _That could be…It can't be her,_ Ari thought.

Eridan put his arms around the terrified human. Probably for comfort. Or for him to get the chance to at least seem like a hero for once. The Lesterine came in the dark cell. It seemed more terrifying up close. It dropped something from its enormous trench coat. Eridan's eyes got wide as he recognized it immediately. _Ahab's Crosshairs…_ The giant stumbled as he tried to grab it again. Eridan lunged forward, grabbing the harpoon gun just barely.

He squirmed away, but the Latrician had other plans for him and Arianna. It grabbed Eridan's ankle, making him immobile and unable to get back to Ari. The thing raised him up off the ground, making him upside down and his scarf covering his view. He tried aiming the gun at the creature's center, his shaking hands faulting his aim.

The blast was large, the white light nearly blinding him and the human in the corner. Next thing he knew, he was on the ground, facing up at the molding ceilings. The brute fell backwards, letting a thundering boom echo through the rest of the facility. Both teens stayed where they were for a little while, in complete silence. Once her mind cleared, Ari got up and rushed to Eridan, giving him a hand to help him off the floor. He grabbed it gratefully, pulling himself off and dusting off his pants after. "Thanks," he said. A pain felt through his face as her hand met the side of his skull. "What the hell was that for?" the troll boy yelled. "I saved your life! Ya should be thankin' me! Not smacking me around!"

"You almost killed yourself, moron!" Ari retorted. "I just don't want to see you get hurt," she sighed. "Come on, we're getting home now." She grabbed his wrist and they ran their way through the maze of a facility and sprinted the entire way home.

That night, Arianna told the others about what happened. Or at least, she told the other ones. Telling the younger children was a horrid idea in her eyes. Saying that she couldn't find Delia would be the worst thing to do to such small and cheerful minds. Of course, it didn't sit well with the older ones when she described the story to them either. Once the story was finished, they all glared at Eridan a bit, then turning their attention back to Arianna. "He did this! He's helping them!" they shouted. The sad thing was was that Eridan _did _believe this was all his doing. He was the one to make fun of the child and then push her down. But how was he supposed to know how the child would react?

When everyone was distracted, he got up and left. The boy climbed down the ladder and went his and Ari's 'bedroom'. Logging onto Trollian, he checked on his friends. Karkat seemed to have opened another pointless memo.

Current caricnoGenetisist (CCG) opened a new memo –OPERATION: GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE- at 18:52

CCG: ALRIGHT, ASSHOLES.

CCG: WHO'S THE FUCK WHO SAID COMING TO THIS GOD AWFUL PLANET WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA?

CCG: SERIOUSLY, IT WOULD BE FANTASTIC TO KNOW.

Future caricnoGenetisist (FCG) joined the memo

FCG: IT'S SOLLUX'S FAULT.

CCG: UGH, I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN.

CCG: THANKS…I GUESS.

Current caricnoGenetisist (CCG) banned Future caricnoGenetisist (FCG)from this memo

CCG: ALRIGHT. NOW THAT THAT'S ANSWERED, I GUESS IT'D BE APPROPRIATE TO ASK HOW EVERYONE IS.

CCG: SINCE WE ARE INCAPEABLE OF SEEING EACH OTHER.

Curren gallowCalibrator (CGC) joined the memo

CGC: F4NT4ST1C

CCG: I GUESS THAT'S GOOD.

CCG: AT LEAST YOU AREN'T WITH A TOTAL ASSHOLE, LIKE MYSELF.

CGC: :[

CGC: H4V3 YOU 4T L34ST G1V3N TH3M 4 CH4NC3?

CCG: WELL…

Future grimAutallux (FGA) joined the memo

FGA: I Am Alright I Suppose

FGA: I Have Been Better

CCG: THANK YOU, KANAYA.

FGA: For What

CGC: COM3 ON K4RK4T

CGC: JUST T3LL M3 1TS NOT TH4T B4D

Current caricinoGenetisist banned Current gallowsCalibrator from the memo

CCG: THAT'S BETTER.

Future arachnidsGrip (FAG) has joined the memo

Current caligulasAquarium (CCA) has joined the memo

Current cuttlefishCuller (CCC) has joined the memo

Past adiosToreador (PAT) has joined the memo

Current twinArmageddons (CTA) has joined the memo

PAT: wAIT, wHAT DID WE LEAVE FOR?

FAG: Oh, Tavros! You're soooooooo stupid!

FAG: We're on Eath, Pupa.

PAT: wHAT's AM EARTH?

FAG: God, how 8lunt can you possi8ly 8e?

Future arachnidsGrip (FAG) banned Past adiosToreador (PAT)from the memo

CCA: wwoww vvris real nice there

FAG: I can 8an you too.

CCA: wwhatevver i don't care

CCA: i just need to talk to fef

CTA: what iif 2he doe2nt want two talk two you

CCA: nobody asked you sol

CCA: i don't see anywhere in the past askin for your input noww did i

CTA: pfft whatever ed

Current twinArmageddons (CTA) left the memo

CCC: 38(

CCA: fef wwhy havvent you responded to me

CCA: i really need to talk to you

CCA: reely REELY need to talk to you

CCC: W)(at is it –Eridan?

FAG: Yes Eridan! What is it? I sit em8arrassing?

CCA: if it wwas embarrassin I wwouldnt have said that i needed to talk to her

Current caligulasAquarium (CCA) banned Future arachnidsGrip (FAG) from the memo

CCC: Glub.

CCC: W)(ale, w)(at is it –Eridan?

CCA: i cant really say on here

CCA: ill message ya privately

CCG: GOOD. I'M SICK OF YOU ALL.

Current caricnoGenetisist (CCG) closed the memo: –OPERATION: GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE-

_**Author's Note:**__ Hi guys! I'm back to updating this! If you stayed around for almost a year, thanks so much. I've been procrastinating this, really. Anyway, I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can!_

_3 Aerista_


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